Apparatus for charging blasting bore holes for rock blasting with explosive in cartridge-from by means of compressed air



Oct. 11, 1955 H. LAMPE 2,720,166

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING BLAST-ING BORE HOLES FOR ROCK BLASTING WITH EXPLOSIVE IN CARTRIDGE-FORM .BY MEANS OF COMPRESSED AIR Filed May 18, 1954 N l E N TOR 'HEZNRICH LAMPE United States Patent APPARATUS FDR CHARGING BLASTING BORE HOLES FOR ROCK BLASTING WITH EXPLOSIVE 1N CARTRIDGE-FORM BY MEANS OF COM- PRESSED AIR Heinrich Lampe, Marburg (Lahn), Germany Application May 18, 1954, Serial No. 430,678

3 Claims. (Cl. 102-22) The invention relates to apparatus for charging blasting boreholes for rock blasting with explosive in cartridgeform by means of compressed air.

The object of the invention is to enable the charging operation, especially in the case of series of bore holes which are pre-chambered by pre-blasting in known manner, to be carried out in the shortest possible time, that is in the quickest possible time sequence.

In order to attain this technical progress or improvement the apparatus according to the invention is characterized substantially by an aperture provided in the end portion of the ordinary charging tube projecting from the bore hole for introducing the cartridges, and a compressed air feed tube by which the cartridge introduced into the aperture is pushed forward in the charging tube and can be blown by compressed air into the bore hole or into the chamber produced at the end thereof by preblasting or the like, whereupon the compressed air feed tube is only drawn back in the tube so far that the aperture becomes free for introducing the next cartridge.

The apparatus is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a compressed air feed tube;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a charging tube;

Fig. 3 shows the two parts illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 united and on a half size scale;

Figs. 4 and 5 show an additional apparatus by which the introduction of explosive cartridges into an aperture in the charging tube can take place automatically in quick succession;

Fig. 4 being a side elevation of the apparatus; and

Fig. 5 a vertical section on the line VV in Fig. 4.

In the rear end portion of the charging tube a aperture b is provided for introducing explosive cartridges c, which aperture b corresponds approximately in length to the length of the cartridges and in depth to about half the diameter of the charging tube. The compressed air feed tube d is so dimensioned that with the aid thereof each cartridge 0 can be pushed forward towards the inwardly directed portion a of the charging tube a and the air feed tube d can be drawn back in outward direction so that the aperture b is exposed again for the introduction of the next cartridge 0, that is without being withdrawn entirely from the charging tube a. A valve, not shown in the drawing, actuated by a lever e controls the feed and shutting off of the compressed air. Instead of the lever valve, some other type of easily operated valve, for example a screw valve, might be provided. The rear end of the compressed air feed tube d is connected with a compressed air feed line in which a regulating valve (pressure reducing valve) with pressure gauge (manometer) is fitted to enable the pressure of the compressed air to be regulated as desired or to suit requirements. For carrying out the charging Operation two persons are preferably employed, one of whom inserts the cartridges 0 while the other pushes the cartridge 0 into 2,720,166 Patented Oct. 11, 1955 the tube portion a with the aid of the compressed air feed tube a and, by opening the valve allows the compressed air to flow into the charging tube, after which he pulls back the tube d beyond the aperture [1 to allow the next cartridge to be introduced. This procedure can be carried out so rapidly that a cartridge can be introduced every 2 to 3 seconds.

However, with the aid of the additional apparatus illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 this speed of charging can be considerably increased. Furthermore, the person necessary for introducing the cartridges into the aperture can be dispensed with.

The additional apparatus is of the following construction:

Preferably by means of a screw clamp g, h, i a feed carrier 1 for the cartridges is fitted over the aperture b of the charging tube a and from this carrier the cartridges drop automatically one by one into the charging tube each time the lowermost cartridge located in the aperture is pushed forward into the charging tube, blown into the chamber and the compressed air feed tube d is pulled back beyond the aperture. It is therefore not necessary to introduce the cartridges individually into the aperture. The filling of the empty carrier can be effected without appreciable loss of time by the operator serving the compressed air feed tube.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for charging blasting bore holes for rock blasting with explosive in cartridge-form by means of compressed air, comprising in combination a charging tube of the ordinary type for inserting into the bore hole provided, however, with an aperture in the portion projecting from the bore hole for introducing the cartridge into the charging tube, and a compressed air feed tube serving as ram to push forward the cartridge introduced into the charging tube and, by means of compressed air, introducing it into the chamber at the end of the bore hole, the feed tube being then pulled back in the charging tube to expose the aperture for the introduction of the next cartridge.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a feed carrier for the cartridges is fitted over the aperture and controlled by the compressed air feed tube, in such a manner that each time the lowermost cartridge located in the aperture in the charging tube has been pushed forward in the tube and blown into the chamber of the bore hole by compressed air and the compressed air feed tube has been pulled back in the charging tube beyond the aperture therein, the cartridges in the carrier drop automatically one by one into the aperture in the charging tube.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a cartridge carrier is fitted on the charging tube over the aperture therein by means of a screw clamp, the feed of the cartridges one by one from said carrier into said charging tube through said aperture therein being etfected automatically each time the aperture is exposed by the pulling back of said compressed air tube in said charging tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 866,775 Germany Feb. 12, 1953 

